This invention relates generally to fireplace grates and, more particularly, to an improved fireplace grate combination including a screen suspended below the fireplace grate.
The use of a grate in a fireplace to support logs which are to be burned is, of course, quite well-known. Typically such fireplace grates comprise a substantially open metal framework to support the logs to be burned and, as the logs burn, the hot coals fall to the bottom of the fireplace. New logs are placed on the fireplace grate if it is desired to keep the fire in the fireplace burning.
Prior to the present invention there have been many attempts to aid in collecting the ash which forms when the logs burn and, in addition, there are various configurations of fireplace grates. These may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 247,343, U.S. Pat. Nos. 78,685; 267,499; 709,377; 927,214; 1,385,931; 2,585,523; 3,439,667, and 3,536,057 as well as British Patent No. 1,646 of 1913. Prior to the present invention, however, the prior art has not recognized the problems of aiding in completely burning logs on the fireplace grate, or of aiding in igniting subsequent logs placed on the fireplace grate nor the potential solution of spacing the hot coals from the burning logs a slight distance below the logs to assist in igniting and burning unburned and partially burned logs.
Thus the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an improved fireplace grate and screen whereby the hot coals from burning logs are utilized to assist in burning partially burned logs and in igniting additional logs as such additional logs are placed on the grate.